Frequently Asked Questions About PTRA

  • Why Choose Phoenix-Talent Rising Academy?
     
    PTRA is a Kindergarten through 8th-grade school offering a teacher-supported hybrid of online and in-person learning that can be tailored to any family's health, location, and travel needs. PTRA is an excellent educational solution for families considering homeschooling or charter schools. We provide the high-quality, rigorous instruction that you expect from your local neighborhood school while maintaining the flexibility and parental control of at-home learning. PTRA is also an essential option for families whose students have difficulty focusing in a noisy, busy classroom, who struggle to sit still for long periods of time, or who work better in one-on-one situations. With online school, our students have fewer distractions, can work wherever they have the internet, and create a schedule that works best for them. Additionally, PTRA students have access to local certified teachers, receive academic, administrative, and tech support from local staff, and have access to our district’s extracurricular clubs, activities, and sports, 
     
     
    Where is PTRA located?
     
    While PTRA is largely a virtual school, we do offer some hybrid and in-person learning and socializing opportunities for our students and their parents.

    Our physical classroom/office is on the Phoenix Elementary School campus, at 215 N. Rose Street in Phoenix, Oregon. If you are planning to visit us in person, please check in with the Phoenix Elementary School office staff and they can direct you to our classroom.

     
     
    How will my child learn in PTRA? Who will teach my child?

    Licensed Phoenix-Talent teachers provide live and recorded instruction through Google Classroom. Students work virtually and have some opportunity to work at their own pace. PTRA students learn the same standards from certified teachers as their classmates who choose in-person learning. See our Staff page for details on our educators.

    Younger children will need more hands-on support during live instruction than older kids (logging into the computer, maintaining attention, etc.). Younger students will also need more intensive educational support--you will be their main instructor, assisted by a PTRA teacher. Older students need your encouragement and regular monitoring of their progress.

     

    Does my child need their own computer?

    Our students access virtual schooling via the Google suite of apps and equipment. If you have your own computer or laptop at home, you are welcome to have your student use your equipment.

    However, if you need to borrow a Chromebook from the school district to support your student's learning, we are happy to provide one for your student's use. We also have a limited number of Wifi hotspots for family use if internet accessibility is an issue. We are committed to ensuring that access to the internet will not be a barrier for any family who wants to access PTRA.

     
     
    What courses are offered?

    PTRA offers a wide variety of core and elective classes at all K-8 grade levels.  See our K-5th Grade and 6th-8th Grade pages for more information on courses that are offered at each level.

     
     
    What is the time commitment? Will my child be on the computer all day?

    PTRA elementary students do schoolwork for 2-4 hours per day (Kindergarten & 1st grade--2 hours, 2nd & 3rd grades--3 hours, 4th & 5th grades--4 hours), which includes 30 minutes of grade-level online instruction in reading or math, and 15 minutes of work in iReady Reading and Math. The teacher also creates lesson plans and presents resources for additional subjects such as health, social studies, and science, which are under the direction of parents. Online supplementary materials will be made available for most subjects. 

    PTRA middle school students do schoolwork for 4-5 hours per day, similar to in-person school, which includes their coursework, their Class Meets, and iReady math and reading intervention.

    Breaks, like lunch and time to get outside and play, are part of the daily schedule.
     
     
     
    My child is on an inter-district transfer--will they lose their transfer if we choose PTRA?

    No, students attending PTRA on a transfer will not lose their spots.

     
     
    What about two-way immersion language programs?

    We do not offer Spanish-English immersion in the PTRA. Those programs will continue to be offered through Talent and Phoenix Elementary Schools.

     
     
    My child has an IEP or receives other specialized services, including English as a Second Language, special education and intervention plans. How will they be served through the PTRA?

    The student will receive those services from the appropriately licensed staff members at one of our district's traditional schools. The services will be offered virtually. Physical sessions can be arranged as well if parents and/or teachers feel it would be necessary.

     
     
    My student is identified as Talented and Gifted (TAG). Will they still be served in the PTRA?

    Yes, PTRA is a great option for TAG students as it allows differentiated work at their own pace. Your child’s Personalized Education Plan may need to be adjusted to accommodate the virtual learning environment.

     
     
    Can my middle school-aged child participate in sports and other extracurricular activities?

    Yes. As Phoenix-Talent School District members, middle school PTRA students can participate in any co-curricular or extracurricular activities, including sports, through Talent Middle School's programs.

     
     
    What about course rigor and grading?

    All courses will be graded; secondary will use the PowerSchool Gradebook. The courses offered are quite rigorous and many students last year found that they were more academically demanding than some traditional courses.